Death Penalty Essay

The death penalty is the most inhuman and crucial punishment. Even though it is not applied in every state, the death penalty is a very strong debate and argument within our own government. There are people who support it and those who are against it. The death penalty is a punishment to those who due to their actions and circumstances commit crimes. All people are all equal under the eyes of the law and those people in the end are still humans no matter the crimes they have committed. The death penalty is looked as a violation to the eighth amendment. It is an invalid form of punishment. The risks of inaccurate judgment can change the live of a human within just a few seconds. Taking away another person’s life for committing a crime is like taken an easy way out. The U.S. government should stop using immediately death penalty as a way of punishment because it is unfair, unethical and crucial. Our founding fathers wanted a government that would show the tyrants or absolute monarchs of Europe that it was possible to coexist and live free within fair justice. Even though they excluded any religion to be part of the government regulations, they used Christianity to influence them and built a strong foundation for the new type of government. In a webpage of the history of death penalty they stated that they used the bible and popular teachings to create basic laws and form basic human rights that many religions would forbid death penalty such as; Catholics, Presbyterians, Quakers, Amish’s, and Mennonites. One can easily find a statement teaching that one should not kill, which was used to make a law against murder. No matter what circumstance killing is wrong. So, why are we killing criminals? Aren’t we basically acting against the laws within our own constitution? We are not only killing, but also the government contradicts itself because people have rights in which they are protected. The lives of every individual living on American land should be safe, and if something were to happen to one of us, the government would act with all its power to find justice. But a person’s right to this is denied when they are put to be executed. No one should have the right to determine when a person’s last day in this world should be. Only god can decide when that time should be. But, that does not mean a criminal should not be punished for their action of crimes. By using the death penalty against an individual we are basically using an easy way out to the problem; an escape. If an individual is found guilty then they should do time for their action of crime, but they do not have to relay it on punishing them by killing them. They should be punished by sentencing them to a whole life time of prison. In prison they are guaranteed of no future crimes and at the same time they are being punished for a life time. In an article in antideathpenaly.com they stated that executions cost more than life in prison. It costs $2 million per person. In an article by Dudley Sharp, a death penalty resource director discusses the costs of death penalty and the cost of life without parole. Performing eye for eye; simply get to even in a better or more efficient way is never the solution. Criminals should be isolated from society, making them work and pay for what they did. What is unfair regarding the death penalty is how there can be many innocent people declared as guilty. In situations like these, innocent people should be giving time to prove their innocence instead of preventing them from being killed due to a mistake. Sentencing a criminal to prison for a life time gives time for further investigation to prove a person’s innocence which was researched and said in an article of death penalty in deathpenalty.procon.org. Putting a person to death penalty the government could be killing someone innocent and only because they believe that person is guilty. The law states that every individual is incconent until proven guilty. However, the court does not always follow this law. In some cases people are not given time to prove his/her innocence. Many countries have abolished the death penalty and since the United States has a strong stand for fairness in criminal justice we should join those nations. In our home state, Virginia, it is one of the many states that still believe that killing is the best solution when it comes to solving these kinds of problems. Virginia has executed a total of 94 people since 1976. The most common methods used to perform justice are using gas chambers, lethal injection, and electric chairs. This is how they find their way of solution to get a person’s life over with. In 2000 Earl Washington was on death row in Virginia and was innocent but was not released after serving 16 years of prison. Death penalty is one form of punishment that can never be reversed which makes this unjust. Even though we like to believe that racism does not exist, it still does. History records seem to show that usually African Americans and other minority groups have higher rates when it comes to sentenced people. Death sentencing is not given in a fair manner. It is a very crucial system used against thousands of people. Homicide is illegal; however, what is it when it is performed by the government? If punishing a murder by murdering him/her; are we going to be punished as well? The U.S. government seems to have few flaws; flaws that can be easily fixed. But what happens when it is too late? Innocent until proven guilty is a common thing within our laws and regulations. Death penalty has claimed the lives of many innocent fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and so on. Many people in situations like these have been sentenced to death because everything seemed would accuse them. In an article by Adam Bedau, the author states that technology and science proofed usage of people’s innocence. In most cases, people are not giving time to prove their innocence. When a person is killed there is no way back. When you realize the mistake, it is too and nothing can be done to reverse it. Therefore, people should realize that dealing with a human’s life; something so precious and valuable, no technology or currency can replace it or manipulate. When violence is committed the judge has the order to either punish a person with a lifetime of prison or sentence them to death penalty. Homicide is a power that no one should have on their hands. If someone acts against another person, there should be another way of solution discarding the act of death penalty. The death penalty is a huge argument in which many people will always have different opinions towards it. People should realize and acknowledge the fact that we are are equal under the eyes of the law and mistakes are always done. The unfairness, cruelty, and unethical behaviors of the death penalty should be taken under major consideration.